Phlox plant named ‘Wespovio’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Wespovio’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period; dark violet-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox hydrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WESPOVIO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox,botanically known as Phlox hybrida and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Wespovio’.

The new Phlox is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding programwas to create new compact and freely branching Phlox cultivars withnumerous attractive flowers.

The new Phlox originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin 2004, in Südlohn, Germany, of a proprietary selection of Phloxhybrida identified as code number 04P005, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Phlox hybrida identifiedas code number 04P062, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thenew Phlox was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Südlohn, Germany in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled environment in Südlohn, Germany since 2005 has shown that theunique features of this new Phlox are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Wespovio has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Wespovio’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Wespovio’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofPhlox:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period.    -   4. Dark violet-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely branching than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox have larger and lighter green-colored        leaves than plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have white and violet bi-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the male parent selectionprimarily in growth habit as plants of the new Phlox are more compactthan plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the Phlox cultivarUSPHL304, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,899. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Phloxdiffered from plants of the cultivar USPHL304 in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox were more compact than plants of the        cultivar USPHL304.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox were more freely branching than        plants of the cultivar USPHL304.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox had stronger lateral branches than        plants of the cultivar USPHL304.    -   4. Plants of the new Phlox and the cultivar USPHL304 differed in        flower color as plants of the USPHL304 had lavender-colored        flowers with a white and purple-colored star pattern at the        center.

Plants of the new Phlox can also be compared to plants of the Phloxcultivar USPHL03, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,846. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of thenew Phlox differed from plants of the cultivar USPHL03 in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox were more compact and had shorter        internodes than plants of the cultivar USPHLO3.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox had stronger lateral branches than        plants of the cultivar USPHL03.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox and the cultivar USPHL03 differed in        flower color as plants of the USPHL03 had dark purple-colored        flowers with a red-colored star pattern at the center.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Phlox, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Wespovio’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Südlohn, Germany, under commercialpractice during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse with daytemperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures rangingfrom 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranging from 3,000 lux to 50,000lux. Rooted young plants were grown for about 20 weeks when thephotograph and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox hybrida cultivar Wespovio.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox            hybrida identified as code number 04P005, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox            hybrida identified as code number 04P062, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 to 18 days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 to 24            days at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 to 26            days at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root descriptions.—Fibrous; color, close to 158A.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Compact, upright and mounded plant habit;            outwardly spreading; vigorous growth habit. Freely branching            habit with lateral branches developing at every node;            pinching enhances branching potential.        -   Plant height.—About 22 cm to 27 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 44 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 13.6 cm. Diameter: About            2.4 mm. Internode length: About 2.1 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent; viscid. Color: 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Width.—About 0.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: 137A. Developing            leaves, lower surface: 137B. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: 146A; venation, 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: 146B; venation, 146B.        -   Flower description:        -   Flower type/habit.—Single salverform flowers arranged in            terminal cymes;. flowers face upward to outward. Freely            flowering habit with about eleven flowers per cyme.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period;            continuously flowering from April to autumn in Germany.            Flowers not persistent.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five days on            the plant.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.65 cm. Diameter: About 3.1 mm.            Shape: Oblong Color: 196D; towards the apex, 86B.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 13.1 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 12.3 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1.9 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe            length: About 1.4 cm. Lobe width: About 1.2 cm. Shape:            Broadly obovate. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Developing petal lobes, upper surface: 86A. Developing petal            lobes, lower surface: 92D. Fully expanded petal lobes, upper            surface: 83A to 83B; color becoming closer to 85B to 85D            with fine lines, 86B, with development. Fully expanded petal            lobes, lower surface: 92D; color becoming closer to 85B to            85C with development. Eye: N92A. Throat and tube: 160C; fine            lines, 71A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused at base; tubular in shape. Length: About            7.8 mm. Width: About 1.2 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely            pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.2 cm to 1.9 cm. Diameter: About            1.5 mm to 2 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: 144B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 mm to 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: Less than 1 mm. Anther shape:            Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2.2 mm. Anther width: About            0.4 mm. Anther color: 12B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen            color: 15B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 5.6 mm. Stigma shape: Three-parted. Stigma            color: 150A. Style length: Less than 1 mm. Style color:            144B. Ovary color: 144A.        -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: Typically three. Length: About            3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: N199B.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have not been noted    to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Phlox.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C.

1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Wespovio’ as illustrated anddescribed.